Fluid receptacle



July 30, 1935. L, J AMSDELL 2,009,467

FLUID RECEPTACLE Filed p 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet l Z2; 2 Z Y /INVENTOR I Q AZBRNEY July 30, 1935. I J AMSDELL 2,009,467

' FLUID RECEPTACLE Filed Sept. 30, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR 0 :4 ,Med

. BY W ATTORNEY Patented July 30, 1935 Larell J. Amsdell,

Beechhurst, N .':Y :1 1.

Application September 30, l933, Serial No. 6 )1,625

2 Claims.

My invention relates to fluid receptacles and relates to devices of the character described in which a constant pressure is automatically retained, irrespective of the amount of fluid with- 5 drawn jfrom the receptacle.

It is'frequently desirable to have a receptacle within which a fluid, such as a gas or a liquid, will be under a constant uniform pressure in order that repeated interrupted withdrawals will all be under thesame pressure, notwithstanding that the quantity of the fluid within the receptacle has diminished during the withdrawal operations, and further to maintain a constant uniform pressure upon a liquid within the receptacle during the periods between such withdrawals.

These conditions are especially essential in connection with aerified, or gasified, liquids such as carbonated liquids, beer and similar liquids.

It is frequently desirable to have a reservoir of a carbonated liquid from which quantities may be withdrawn from time to time, but as the quantity of the liquid within the receptacle is decreased due to such withdrawals, the gas content of the liquid becomes reduced, thus rendering the liquid fiat and'unpalatable. I I

, My device overcomes this objectionable featur and" presents a means whereby the liquid in such a receptacle is always maintained under a constant pressure irrespective of the amount of liquid therein, such pressure being maintained automatically and thus retaining a constant amount of gas within the liquid until the last portion is withdrawn.

A further valuablefeature of the device of my invention is that it allows of the production and maintenance of any desired pressurewithin the liquid receptacle, thus allowing of its employment withvarious liquids requiring different pressures for the production of proper and desired results. 7 Without limiting myself to the particular described use, my device is especially valuable when employed with beer, ale, porter and similar carbonated beverages.

. It is generally recognized that beverages of the mentioned character rapidly become fiat and unpalatable iftheir containers are opened and the gas allowed to escape into the atmosphere, and hence for household consumption they are sold in bottles, each containing sufficient for immediate use.

It is for this reason that these bottled beverages are less palatable and satisfactory than those drawn from kegs and barrelsso-called draught beveragesas in' the latter'case, the gas escaping from the partially emptied receptacle is retained in-the receptacle and'hence at least a portion of the gasis retained'i'n' the liquid.

But even these drau'ghtlbeverages lose their palatability as they are withdrawn, as a portion of the gaseous contents of the'liquid escape there'- from to occupy the space caused by the liquid withdrawal. f 1 If, for instance, a'keg be filled with beer under a pressure of four poun'ds'to produce the proper palatability, when the .keg is half emptied the beer will notfbe under aipressure of four pounds and hence will'contain considerably less gas-than it'did originally. It is evident that if the original pressure could be maintained during the entire withdrawal of the liquid, a more satisfactory result would be obtained than is possible where such pressure is graduallyreduced, and this highly. desirable result is obtainedlby the employment of mydevicef A .j f

A practical disadvantage of the present devices for draught beverages which prevents their household adoption, is the inability to cool the contents of the receptacles, their size and shape not allowing their introduction into the ordinary refrigerator. This .difiiculty is completely overcomeby my device which allows of the draught receptacle being placed within the ordinary household refrigerator, as an, elliptical-shaped device of my construction eleven and three-quarters (11%) inches long with end measurement of five and one-half '(5 /2) inches and six' and onehalf (6 inches. will contain the contents of twelve 12) beer bottles. 'f Further advantages of my device are that it is of such construction as'to allow of its readyand hygienic. cleansing and that it canhave the dispensablelfluidfand the compressed fluid intro ducedat the place ofpmduction, or assemblage, thusallowing the Toperative device to be sold in complete form to the user.

By "constant uniform pressure I mean a practic ally uniform pressure maintained in constant condition withinthe scope of. the mechanical efficiency of the device, and I do not mean that a slight variation that will not affect the efliciency ,or palatability,of the dispensed .fiuid is excluded from this definitiom .It will thusbe seen that a. device of my inventionof the above dimensions will enable a con-'- siderable quantity'of aerified liquid to be cooled in an ordinary refrigerator, and that the contents can" be intermittently withdrawn therefrom with- ,outdecr'easing the gaseouscontents of the liquid.

My invention thereforepresents means for obtaining valuable results not previously obtainable Figure 4 is a section through the line of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a section through theZ-line 5+5 of Figure 3.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary vertical section of a modified form of my device in which the pressure chamber is outside of .the liquid container.,

The particular form of jthe device of my ing vention illustrated in the accompanying drawings comprises a receptacle l composed of a suitable material for employment with the fluid contained therein. v

Positioned within the receptacle l0 and forming a head, or closure, for an opening in. one end thereof is a pressure container having the ends Mandi: and the sides |3and l4. The end it has an extended shoulder [5 which is placeable within the extended flange l6 of the side of the receptacle I 0 and is attached to theinwardlyextended flange Not the side of the receptacle l0 by means of cap screws 18, 18. A threaded open- .1 ing in the end H is, capable of being closed by the threaded check valve [9. An internally threaded member is inserted within an opening in the pressure container end H and the threaded stem 2| of a needle valve passes through the opening in the member 20. The stem 2| carries a head 22, the revolution of which causes the stem 2| to open or close the opening 23 in the pressure chamber end I2 A pipe 24 passes through an opening in the lower portion'of the pressure container, the inward end 25 of the pipe 24 being turned downwardly to nearly approach the bottom of the fluid receptacle and'theouter end 26 of the pipe 24 being threaded to receive the faucet 21 having the opening and closing handle28. g I

Attached to the outer face of the pressure con; tainer end 12 by means of the cap screws 29, 29 is an annular member 30 having a plurality of openings 3|, 3 I, the member 39 having aninwardlyextended flange 32. a d

The member 39 acts as a suppo'rtfor an, automatically controlled pressure valve' governing the amount of pressure fluid passing from within the pressure container into the fluid receptacle" to maintain an even pressure withinthe latter. 1

This automatic. pressure valve consists of a needlerod 33, theinward end 3401' which is pointed and threaded and the outward end 3 5 "of which isthreaded. The rod 33 carries twoflxedly attached flanges 36 and 31. Afiexibletdiaphragm 38 of desired material having a' pluralityiof cin-I cumferential holes,is placed upon theflouter face of the needle rod flange 36, an'annular ring 39 having a plurality of en-cumferentialholes corresponding with the holes inthe diaphragm 38 is placed thereon and the ring 39 and the diaphragm attached to the flange 32 by means of screws 40, 40, passing through the 'h oles, 'andthe nut 4i set up against the diaphragm 38'.

A'flexible diaphragm 42 of suitable "material having a plurality of circumferential holes is placed upon the outer face of the needle rod flange 31, an annular ring 43 having a plurality of circumferential holes corresponding with the holes in the diaphragm 42 is placed thereon, the nut 44 is set up against the diaphragm 42 and a plurality of spider legs 45, 45 having corresponding holes in their feet are placed upon the ring 43 and the spider legs 45, 45, the ring 43 and the diaphragm 42 are fixedly attached to each other by the screws 46, 46, passing through the holes.

The spider consists of a body member 41 havinga plurality of legs 45, 45 and having a central opening through which the needle rod 33 has free movement. A nut 48 threaded upon the rod 33 limits the outward movement of the rod. A nut 49 is threaded upon the rod 33 and a spiral spring 50 abutting upon the nut 49 and the spider body 41 normally tends to pull the needle rod. 33 outwardly, this outward movement being limited by the nut 48.

Thesupporting member 39 and its attached parts are assembled before the member 30 is attached to the pressure container end l2.

The fluid receptacle l0 carries the safety. valve 5| and a filling opening closed by the screw plug 52.

For convenience in storage and shipment, the device as illustrated contains two longitudinal supporting members 53, 53 each formed by an extended stave, or portion of the receptacle I0.

Assuming that the diameter of the effective area of the diaphragm 42 is one inch, that the diameter of the efiective area of the diaphragm 38 is'one-half inch, that the diameter of-the opening 23 isone-sixteenth inch, that the'device is to'be employed with a gas-containing liquid, such as beer, under a constant pressure of four pounds andthat the pressure in the pressure container is 200 pounds, the operation of the devic is as follows:

The needle. 2| is screwed inwardly until its point closes the opening 23, and the pressure container charged with gas at a'predetermined pressurethrough the check valve I9.

'By moving the nut 49, the spring 50 is so tensioned that when there is a pressure of four pounds within the receptacle lo, the pointed end 34 of the needle rod 33 will just close the open ing23. The plug 52 is removed, the fluid receptacle H1 is filled with the gas-containing liquid under atmospheric pressure and the plug 52 is replaced. The needle 2| is then removed from. the opening 23.

- As the spring 50 has been set to just close the opening 23 at a pressure of four pounds, it is evident'that the gas will escape from the pressure chamber into the fluid receptacle until the pressure in the fluid receptacle has reached four pounds. When some of the liquid is drawn from the receptacle by means of the faucet, the pressure within the fluid receptacle will be reduced and the spring will draw the needle rod 33 outwardly, opening the passage 23 and allowing compressed gas to escape from the pressure container into the fluid receptacle until the pressure is again four pounds.

It will be seen from the following, however, that as soon as the pressure within the fluid receptacle reaches four pounds, the passage 23 will be closed.

Itwill be noted that the outward diaphragm 42 is greater than the inner diaphragm 39, and

Cir

that, hence, the inward pressure will be greater than the outward pressure.

Taking the assumptions mentioned above, we find that we have anoutward pressure of .785 pound upon the diaphragm 38 and an outward pressure of .612 pound upon the end of the needle rod 33 or a total outward pressure of 1.397 pounds. The inward pressure upon the diaphragm 42 is 3.14 pounds, or an ultimate inward pressure of 1.743 pounds. It is evident, therefore, that if the spring 50 be set so that an ultimate pressure of 1.743 pounds will cause the closure of the passage 23, any lower pressure will allow the opening of the passage 23 and that the opening will be closed as soon as the pressure in the fluid receptacle reaches the pressure 1.743 pounds.

In order that a uniform pressure may be obtained within the fluid receptacle irrespective of the amount of fluid therein, it is evident that the amount of gas within the pressure container should be sufficient to maintain that pressure when all of the fluid has been withdrawn.

The modified form of my device shown in Figure 6 is similar in general construction and operation to that previously described, except that the pressure container is positioned outside of the liquid container, the only differences in construction being those necessary for this arrangement of container and receptacle, all of which are evident upon a consideration of the drawmgs.

It is evident from the foregoing description of my invention that it presents a simple and effective meanswhereby a liquid within a receptacle and under pressure, may be withdrawn therefrom continuously or in interrupted quantities at spaced intervals, the pressure upon the liquid contents being automatically maintained at a predetermined uniform pressure during these operations.

It is well known that when a portion of an aerifled liquid is withdrawn from a closed container and the remaining liquid is agitated, as by handling the container, a larger portion of the air, or gas, escapes from the liquid into the unoccupied space of the container, thus rendering the liquid flat and unpalatable. My device overcomes this serious difliculty, as the air space is always under the desired pressure thus preventing the escape of gas from the liquid even when the container is agitated.

My device, therefore, presents a great advance in the art of fluid containers.

I do not limit myself to the particular size, shape, number, arrangement or material of parts as shown and described as these are given simply as a means of clearly describing the device of my invention.

What I claim is:--

1. In a pressure controlling device, in combination, a wall dividing high pressure fluid from low pressure fluid, said wall having a valve port through it providing communication between its high pressure and low pressure sides, a valve casing positioned at the low pressure side of said wall in spaced relation therefrom so as to be surrounded by the low pressure fluid, said valve casing being adapted to exclude pressure fluid from within said valve casing, two opposed spaced diaphragms respectively forming end closures for said valve casing in alignment with said valve port in said wall, said diaphragms being of different diameters, a valve rod carried by and connecting together both of said diaphragms and having a valve end in control of said port and adapted to open and close the latter, and a valveopening spring cooperative with said valve rod and adapted to move said valve end to open said port, both of said diaphragms being subjected to the pressure of low pressure fluid at the outside of and surrounding said valve casing, said diaphragms and said valve end being relatively so disposed that a predetermined pressure of pressure fluid upon said diaphragms will cause said valve to close said port against the force of said valve-opening spring and whereby a decrease in said pressure will cause said spring to move said valve end to open said port.

2. In a pressure controlling device, in combination, a wall dividing high pressure fluid from low pressure fluid, said wall having a valve port through it providing communication between its high pressure and low pressure sides, a valve casing positioned at the low pressure side of said wall in spaced relation therefrom so as to be surrounded by the low pressure fluid, said "valve casing being adapted to exclude pressure fluid from within said valve casing, two opposed spaced diaphragms respectively forming end closures for said valve casing in alignment with said valve port in said wall, theone of said diaphragms which is remote from said port being of larger diameter than the other said diaphragm which is nearer to said port, a valve rod carried by and connecting together both of said diaphragms, said valve rod having a valve end cooperative with said port at the low pressure side of said wall and adapted to open and close said port, and a valve-opening spring cooperative with said valve rod and adapted to withdraw said valve end from said port, both of said diaphragms being subjected to the pressure of low pressure fluid at the outside of and surrounding said valve casing so that thereby a predetermined pressure of such fluid upon said diaphragms will cause said valve end to close said port against the force of said valve-opening spring and whereby a decrease in said pressure will cause said spring to withdraw said valve end from and open said port.

LARELL J. AMSDELL. 

